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There Are Other Delivery Apps: How To Go Beyond Big Brands


Other Delivery Apps For Restaurants

Key Takeaways:

  • Commission-Free Alternatives: Sauce offers commission-free delivery, giving restaurants more control and better profit margins than big-name apps.

  • Niche Platforms: Apps like ChowNow, Slice, and Caviar cater to specific restaurant needs, offering unique advantages like direct customer relationships or specialty delivery.

  • Maximizing Profitability: Using platforms like Sauce helps restaurants retain more revenue, maintain brand control, and improve customer engagement without high fees.


Bigger isn’t always better.


Giant delivery apps have dominated for years, but their hefty commissions can impact a restaurant’s bottom line. Think of them as highways — great for reaching the destination fast, but expensive tolls along the way.


At Sauce, we offer a commission-free alternative that gives restaurants control over their delivery operations without sacrificing their brand or profits. We protect your restaurant’s reputation and customer relationships while providing tools to streamline online orders.

In this piece, we'll explore delivery app options beyond the usual suspects and highlight why commission-free platforms like Sauce are changing the game for restaurants.


Why Look Beyond The Big Names?

Many restaurants choose big-name delivery apps like it’s a default setting. However, these platforms typically come with high commission fees – reducing a restaurant’s profit margins. Additionally, using apps from big brands can reduce a restaurant’s control over its branding and customer experience, since third-party services handle interactions. This creates a barrier between restaurants and their patrons, weakening the connection vital for customer loyalty.


Exploring alternatives can open doors to platforms like Sauce, where restaurants benefit from commission-free delivery without sacrificing quality or speed. We provide a unique solution that empowers restaurants to keep their branding intact and maintain direct customer relationships. Our system allows flexibility, offering tools to streamline online orders and delivery management, ensuring larger third-party platforms don’t limit your business.


Boost Direct Orders

Top Delivery Apps Beyond The Big Players


Sauce: Commission-Free With Unlimited Flexibility

Sauce redefines the delivery landscape for your restaurant – offering a commission-free solution. We provide an order management system attuned to highly online lifestyles, allowing businesses to control their branding, customer relationships, and delivery operations. Core features like real-time order tracking, extended delivery ranges, and unlimited driver usage ensure we grow alongside your business. It’s about flexibility – the ideal relationship for a restaurant looking to scale while maintaining operational independence.


ChowNow: Direct Customer Relationships

ChowNow offers a commission-free model that prioritizes direct-to-customer relationships. Restaurants using ChowNow retain full control over their branding and customer data, avoiding the disconnection that often comes with third-party apps. The platform focuses heavily on building customer loyalty and engagement – essential for fostering repeat business.


Toast TakeOut: Integrated With POS Systems

Toast TakeOut seamlessly integrates with a restaurant’s existing point-of-sale (POS) system, offering a convenient solution for those already using Toast’s technology. This integration allows for a streamlined ordering process, making it easier for the restaurant and its customers. Managing orders, payments, and customer information from one interface significantly reduces operational complexity.


Other Niche Delivery Platforms For Restaurants


Caviar: High-End And Specialty Food Delivery

Caviar is designed for restaurants offering premium or specialty cuisine, making it an excellent option for those looking to cater to a more upscale market. Known for working with top-tier restaurants, Caviar helps establishments preserve their brand image while reaching customers who value quality over convenience. It allows restaurants to target a niche audience with higher spending potential, which can translate into more profitable orders.


Slice: Pizza Delivery Specialists

Slice is a delivery platform tailored specifically for pizza restaurants, offering specialized tools and services for pizzerias. This platform streamlines ordering for both customers and restaurants, making it easier for pizza shops to manage high volumes of orders efficiently. By catering to the unique needs of the pizza industry, Slice provides solutions that major delivery apps overlook.


Goldbelly: Nationwide Shipping For Gourmet Foods

Goldbelly takes niche delivery to the next level by allowing a restaurant to ship gourmet foods nationwide. This platform is perfect for restaurants with signature dishes that attract attention far beyond their local area. Goldbelly allows restaurants to reach a national audience, offering shipping logistics that simplify sending perishable or specialty items nationwide. This can open new revenue streams for restaurants with unique or highly desired menu items.


How Delivery Apps Affect Restaurant Profitability


Commission Fees And Their Effect On Profits

Major delivery platforms can charge commission rates up to 30% – drastically reducing a restaurant's earnings. For every order processed through these third-party apps, restaurants are losing a significant portion of their revenue. While delivery apps help increase order volume, they simultaneously cut into the profits needed to maintain operations. This creates a cycle where restaurants rely on delivery but struggle with diminished margins. High commissions make it harder for restaurants to stay profitable in a competitive market.


Limited Customer Engagement And Brand Control

When using third-party delivery services, restaurants lose direct contact with their customers. These platforms manage everything from ordering to delivery, leaving restaurants out of the loop. As a result, restaurants miss out on valuable customer feedback and loyalty-building opportunities. Branding can also suffer as third-party apps dominate the customer experience. This disconnect impacts long-term customer relationships, weakening the brand’s ability to create lasting connections with diners.


Commission-Free Platforms And Increased Profitability

Commission-free platforms like Sauce offer a solution to the profitability challenges posed by big-name apps. Without paying commission fees, restaurants can retain more revenue from each order. Sauce also empowers your restaurant to maintain control over customer interactions, helping to foster loyalty and repeat business. Sauce’s tools for delivery and order management help a restaurant enhance its efficiency and protect its profit margins. This leads to a more sustainable business model that supports long-term growth.


Operational Support For Restaurants

Sauce provides operational support that goes beyond simple delivery. We handle everything from refund management to driver coordination, ensuring restaurants don’t have to deal with time-consuming logistical headaches. This allows in-house staff to focus on food preparation and service excellence rather than worrying about delivery issues. Real-time tracking and flexible driver options further streamline operations, leading to faster and more reliable service.


Boosting Profitability Through Better Delivery Management

Effective delivery management is vital to improving profitability, and Sauce helps restaurants achieve this by optimizing delivery logistics. With our platform, a restaurant can extend its delivery range and reach more customers, increasing order volume without additional costs. A real-time dispatch algorithm ensures that orders are delivered quickly, even during peak hours.


How To Choose The Right Delivery App For Your Restaurant


Commission Fees: Protecting Your Profit Margins

Commission fees should be a determining factor for a restaurant seeking third-party delivery services. Major platforms often take a hefty percentage from each order, reducing your restaurant's profits.


Brand Control And Customer Relationships

Maintaining control over your brand and customer interactions is essential for long-term success. Many big delivery platforms act as middlemen, distancing restaurants from customers and weakening brand identity. With Sauce, restaurants can manage their online ordering portals, ensuring that all customer data, feedback, and engagement remain within the business. This direct relationship allows restaurants to foster loyalty, increase repeat business, and protect their brand image. It also gives restaurants the power to offer personalized experiences, something larger apps can’t provide.


Reach And Scalability: Expanding Your Customer Base

As your restaurant grows, so should your ability to reach more customers. Choosing a platform that supports scalability is key, and Sauce provides features that help you extend your delivery range without sacrificing quality or speed. Whether you're expanding locally or regionally, Sauce’s flexible driver network ensures that your food reaches customers on time. This capability allows you to reach new markets and grow your business sustainably. By offering unlimited driver options and a reliable dispatch system, Sauce empowers restaurants to handle increased order volumes easily.


Flexibility: Adapting To Your Restaurant’s Needs

Flexibility is vital in choosing a delivery app, especially as restaurant needs can change over time. Sauce allows a restaurant to use its in-house delivery team alongside ours, allowing you to switch back and forth based on demand. Whether it's a busy night or a slower period, having the ability to adapt your delivery logistics helps keep operations smooth and cost-effective.


Increase in Direct Sales

Final Thoughts

Finding the right delivery solution is essential for any restaurant's success and growth. Relying on big-name platforms often comes with high commission fees and limited control over customer interactions. Exploring alternative delivery apps allows restaurants to regain control of their operations, brand, and customer relationships while keeping more of their hard-earned profits.

Platforms like Sauce provide a new way forward, offering commission-free delivery and tools that enhance efficiency and customer engagement.


Read also:


Frequently Asked Questions About What Other Delivery Apps Are There


What are some alternatives to big-name delivery apps for restaurants?

Alternatives include Sauce (commission-free), ChowNow (direct relationships), Toast TakeOut (POS integration), Caviar (premium delivery), and Slice (pizza specialist).


How does Sauce differ from other delivery platforms?

Sauce is commission-free, giving restaurants full control over their delivery operations and customer relationships, unlike big-name apps with high fees.


Why should restaurants consider using commission-free delivery apps?

Commission-free apps like Sauce help a restaurant retain more revenue, avoid high fees, and maintain control over customer interactions, leading to better profitability.


Can smaller restaurants benefit from using niche delivery platforms?

Yes, niche platforms like Caviar for premium foods and Slice for pizzerias cater to specific restaurant needs, helping them target specialized audiences and lower costs.


What advantages do delivery apps like ChowNow offer?

ChowNow offers commission-free services, allowing restaurants to maintain direct relationships with customers and control over branding, which improves customer loyalty.


Which delivery app integrates well with POS systems?

Toast TakeOut integrates seamlessly with a restaurant's POS system, streamlining order management and improving operational efficiency.


How do third-party delivery apps affect restaurant profitability?

Many third-party apps charge high commission fees, reducing restaurant profits. Switching to commission-free alternatives like Sauce can improve margins.


How do delivery apps impact a restaurant's brand control?

Big-name apps often distance restaurants from customers, but platforms like Sauce allow restaurants to manage branding and customer relationships directly.


Is it possible for restaurants to scale using alternative delivery platforms?

Yes, commission-free apps like Sauce offer flexible tools and unlimited driver options, helping restaurants expand their reach without sacrificing control or profitability.




 

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